'Listen to me, my good girl,' said the stranger. 'I have just, by a slight accident, lost my hat. I have travelled a long way, and have much farther to go. Will you, then, sell me yours?'

'Very willingly,' replied Catherine; though it is very pretty, and I set much value on it. It is a present from my good mother, who wore it in her youth. Yesterday she repaired it for me, and I wear it to-day for the first time. I love it very much; but I will sell it willingly to you, because my mother wants money. I would give my life for her!'

'Very well,' said the stranger. 'But what will you take for your hat? Tell me what price you set on it?'

Catherine replied: "I am ignorant of its value.'

'Well,' said the stranger to her, 'I will give you one crown for the hat, and three for the pretty garland of hops round it. How well it is made! The natural flower could not be prettier. Adieu! my mother calls me: our postilion has reached the top of the hill. Take this piece of gold, which is worth four crowns: make no reply, but give me your hat quickly?'

Having said these words she darted off towards a postchaise, which she entered immediately. The postilion cracked his whip, and, as they had arrived at the descent, the carriage disappeared in an instant. All that had passed seemed as a dream to Catherine, but the piece of gold she held in her hand told her that it was quite true. She wearied her mind to explain the haste with which the stranger had paid so dearly for the garland of hops.

Catherine placed on her head the basket which she had filled with the medicinal plants, exclaiming: 'How delighted my parents will be when they see the gold that Heaven sends them! I will carry it to them immediately. I have gathered a sufficient supply of plants for to-day. Now that the sun is so hot, the basket will shade me, and admirably replace the hat which I have sold.' She descended the mountain with the swiftness of a deer. 'My dear parents,' cried she even before she had

entered the house, I have met with rare good-fortune! See this piece of gold, which I have been assured is worth four crowns!' And she proceeded to relate how she had received this large sum of money from a stranger in exchange for her hat. Theresa's countenance became sad at this narration. She thought it could only have been by mistake that so considerable a sum had been given to her daughter. This also was the opinion of her husband. Catherine tried to explain. The lady gave me one crown for the hat,' said she; and as to the other three, she gave me them for the garland of hops which ornamented it. She told me so expressly.'

'The affair is clear,' cried Theresa. She thought it was an artificial garland; that is the reason she paid so dearly!

'Therefore,' added Hermann, 'it is right to restore this gold to the stranger.'

'Yes,' said Theresa: 'to keep these three crowns would be to steal them.'

'You are right, dear parents,' said Catherine: 'it is only now that I perceive why the young lady admired the hops so much. We did not understand each other. She told me that the garland was quite like nature. I see now; she meant to say that this artificial hop was a perfect imitation. A singular mistake! But how can we give back the gold to this young lady? I know not what her name is, where she came from, or whither she went.'

'That can be easily ascertained at the stage which she has just quitted,' said Hermann. As she travels with post-horses, her name, or at least that of her mother, is inscribed in the way-bill. The post-mistress is in the habit of finding out the name, residence, and situation of all the travellers. Write a letter, then, immediately to the young lady, and let there be nothing to add to it but the address. The post-mistress will direct it; you can put the money and letter in the post-office, and they will soon reach the stranger. God preserve me from keeping money unjustly acquired! that would never promote our happiness. What do you say, Theresa?'

The mother replied, that though the hat had been worn some time, it did not seem to her too dear; and she thought they might conscientiously keep one crown.

Catherine, who wrote letters with great ease, addressed one to the stranger. Her father read it, and found it required but a few slight alterations; she then copied it very neatly. It was as follows:

'MADAM-I was very happy to be able to accommodate you in your journey by selling you a hat. But you must very soon have perceived that in your haste you made a great mistake respecting the garland of hops. Until my parents explained it to me, I did not understand what passed. I am grieved that I did not perceive your error in time to inform you that the garland was the work of nature-not that of art-and that when passing I had plucked it from the hedge of our garden. I return you the three crowns which you gave me over and above, keeping one as the price of the hat, which has been more than sufficiently paid for; and as you kindly wished to render me a service by paying so generously, I thank you for your benevolence. I have the honour to be your very grateful servant, CATHERINE HERMANN.'

Theresa gave her the piece of gold, saying: 'Ask the post-mistress to change this for you, and to give you four crowns: put three into the letter, which the post-mistress will have the kindness to seal; the fourth is yours-you can use it as you like.'

Is it really true, my dear mother?' replied Catherine in a transport of joy. Well, I know already what I will do with it. As my father doubts the efficacy of the plants, I will go to the physician and implore him to restore your health: he could do it very well for a crown. It is true it would be necessary to pay something for medicine, but I have yet a silk handkerchief, given me by my godmother; it is very pretty, and quite new. I will sell it also very willingly. In this way all will be right, and we will not incur debts.' He who is in debt is always in danger of being dishonest.

Catherine set out immediately for the next post-town. She borrowed her sister Sophia's straw hat. By her mother's advice she cut some cauliflowers for sale, and put them in her basket. Theresa had often said: 'When a good manager has a little journey to go she always takes care to do two things at a time, so as never to have empty hands.'

When Catherine arrived in the little town, she went directly to the post-office. The post-mistress, a mild, well-looking woman, sat knitting near the window. Catherine saluted her politely, and asked her who were the two ladies who had posted from thence in the morning.

'Madame Duval and her daughter Harriet,' replied the post-mistress. They were returning from their country seat, and are now going to the capital, where Mr Duval resides. They intend to stay there many months. But what have you to do with these rich ladies, my poor child? What relations are they to you?'

Catherine shewed the letter, as well as the piece of gold, saying: 'Miss Harriet gave me three crowns too much in a little bargain I made with her; I wish to return them to her by post : be so kind as to change this piece of gold for me.'

The post-mistress, taking the gold, went to look for four crowns, and said to Catherine: Will you permit me to read this letter?' She gave it to her. When the postmistress had read it, she cried: This letter does not proceed from your pretty little head; it is not that hand which wrote it.' Catherine assured her that the letter was her composition, and that her father had only corrected the mistakes. 'Well,' said the post-mistress, we will soon see.' She put the three crowns in the letter, which she enclosed in an envelope, and said to her: Write; I will dictate the address.' Catherine wrote,

6

and great indeed was the post-mistress's astonishment. Young girl,' she said, 'I never could have believed it. You write better than I could. You have a well-educated father. She sealed the letter, and placing it amongst the others said: 'All these will go this evening by post. You

are a well-instructed, and, above all, a very virtuous girl. Continue always so, and my best wishes for you will be realised.'

Catherine then asked her where the physician lived. This lady, who was very inquisitive, as we have already seen, wished to know what Catherine wanted of the physician. The young girl spoke of her mother's illness, the grief of her father, and of his nine children. 'I wish, added she,' to give this crown to the doctor, to engage him to visit my mother.'

The post-mistress was much affected by her filial piety. 'It is very right,' said she to Catherine, cheerfully to employ this crown, the price of your pretty hat, in your mother's cure. Come with me. The physician lives some paces from this; his wife is my friend: I will conduct you to his house. She put on her shawl, and Catherine accompanied her to the physician's.

The post-mistress could not restrain herself from telling all about the straw - hat ornamented with the precious garland of hops. She related it in such a lively manner that the physician and his wife fell into fits of laughter. After that, she depicted Catherine's filial affection with such feeling, she spoke of the mother's illness, the grief of the father, and his nine children, praised the honesty of Catherine's parents, so that tears filled the eyes of the physician's wife. He said to the young girl, who presented him with the crown in an imploring air: "Take back your money, my dear child; it would be a sin for me to take even a farthing. To-morrow morning I will ride into the neighbourhood of your village: I will go to see your mother, and, by God's help, will cure her gratuitously!'

'Well,' said the post-mistress,' I wish also to do something for this virtuous invalid. I engage to pay the apothecary. Catherine's father and mother have performed a noble action by thus returning the money which a singular accident had thrown in their way. Their poverty renders the action still more meritorious.' Catherine shed tears while thanking the doctor and the